Variable-speed gearing.



W. S. KINDLE. VARIABLE SPEED GEARING. APPLICATION FILED MAY3, 1910.

.980,794 I I i r Patented Jan.3,1911.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM S. KINDLE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIh.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. a, 1911.

Application filed May 3, 1910. Serial No. 559,151.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. KINDLE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city andcounty of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Variable-Speed Gearing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved variable and reversing gearing, in whichrotary motion, constant as to speed and direction, may be transmitted at varying speed and reversed.

It further consists of improved means whereby such chan es in speed and direc tion of motion may e accomplished.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

For the purpose of explaining my invention, the accompanying drawing illustrates a satisfactory reduction of the same to practice, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement and organization shown and described.

WVhile this variable and reversing gear mechanism-may be employed in various mechanical organizations in which a motor running at constant speed and in one direction is required to have such motion transmitted at varying speeds, and in reverse direction, such gearing is especially adapted for motor cars or boats, and I have therefore illustrated the gearin as employed in a motor car-or automobil e.

Figure 1 re resents a top plan view ofas much of the chassis of a motor vehicle provided with my-improvement as is necessary to illustrate the application of the same. Fig. 2 represents a similar view illustrating a different form of application of the device. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section on the line w'a2 Fig. 1. Fi 4 represents a detail side view of the speed changing gear in engagement. Fig. '5 represents a similar view of the reversing'gear in engagement. Fig. 6'

represents a detail top view of. the speed changing gear. Fig. 7 represents a sectional detail view'of the interlocking friction rims of the wheels in the gearing. I

'Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawingsthe chassis frame of the motor vehicle to which my improvement is illustrated as applied, has-two side sills, 1, and cross sills 2, and a motor, in the present instance, a gasolene engine 3, is supported at one end of such frame to drive a longitudinally journaled motor shaft 4. An axle 5 carrying drive-wheels 6, is transversely journaledat the opposite end of the frame.

r In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3,- the motor has a longitudinal extension forming a driving shaft 7, upon which are secured a plurality of friction gear wheels, in the present instance, three wheels 8, 9 and 10, of decreasing diameters. A driven shaft or transmission shaft is longitudinally journaled in the'chassis frame, and consists of a shaft section 11 and another section 12, con

nected to the former by a universal joint- 18.

'The rear end of the transmission shaft carries a bevel gear 14, meshing with a bevel gear ,15, upon the axle. The driven shaft section 11 has a plurality, in the present instance, three friction wheels 16, 17 and 18, of increasing diameters and opposed to and registering with the wheels upon the driving shaft. Transmission wheels 19, are journaled in levers or arms 20 pivoted upon the frame and having suitable means for act-uating them, such as treadles or pedals 21, and springs 22 for returning them to normal inoperative position. The transmission brought down partly between a pair of friction wheels when the lever is depressed by the pedal, to engage both wheels and thus transmit rotary motion from a driving wheel to a driven wheel. The pedals preferably transmit motion to the levers by eccentrics 23, at their inner pivoted ends, bearing against suit-able seats 24, upon the levers. The friction rims of the wheels are prcferably grooved to. have their ribs 25 and grooves 26 interlock and engage, and, said wheels are so arranged that each will be e ribs and groovesare V-shaped in cross section so as to afford the greatest possibleme tional engagement. As the friction wheels are so arran ed that motion is respectively transmitted from a wheel of "large diameter to one of smaller diameter, between two wheels of the same diameter, and from a wheel of small diameter to one of larger diameter, three variations of speed are provided, respectively, high speed, moderate speed and slow speed. Two transmission and reversing wheels engaging one an- ,other, are journaled in an arm or lever 28, fulcrumed upon the frame, such wheels be ing provided to register with one or more pairs of friction wheels or gears, and said levers have springs 29 for normally retaining the transmission wheels out of engagement with the friction wheels, and have treadles or pedals 30, connected to them to bring the transmission wheels into engagement with a pair of friction wheels, when depressed. As the rotary motion of a driving wheel transn'iitted through two engaging transmission wheels, the direction of rotation of the driven wheel will be the same as that of the driving wheel, or a reversal of the rotation of the driven shaft through the single transmission wheels of the speed changing set.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 2, the motor shaft carries a bevel gear 31, which meshes with a bevel gear 32 upon the driving shaft, and the driven shaft'has a sprocket wheel 33, which drives a sprocket wheel 34: upon the axle, through a sprocket chain 35. The driving shaft and the driven shaft are thus transversely journaled in the chassis frame, and chain transmission mechanism may thus be employed instead of the shaft and gear transn'iissimi mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

The l transmission from the driving wheels to the driven wheels are separately and individually actuated by the levers upon which they are supported and the pedals or other means for rocking each lever, and the transmission wheels are normally held out of engagement with the friction wheels by their springs, so that all transmission ceases when no pressure is exerted upon the pedals.

While pedals are the most convenient means for actuating the levers in a motor vehicle, it is evident that handles may be provided for manual actuation of the -levers.

Having thus described my inventionwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, a driving shaft, a, wheel upon said shaft, a driven shaft, a wheel upon said shaft, an arm, a transmission wheel to engage sa'id wheels and journalcd upon said arm, means acting againstthe latterto withdraw the said transmission wheel from engagement 'ansmlssion wheels which effect the.

with the driving and driven wheel, and a pivoted lever having an eccentric engaging said arm.

'2. In a device of the character stated, a driving shaft, a plurality of friction wheels of serially decreasing diameters upon said shaft, a driven shaft, a plurality of friction wheels of serially increasing diameters upon said driven shaft and opposite the wheels on the driving shaft, transmission wheels constructed to each engage a pair of friction wheels, arms having said former wheels 1ournaled 1n their ends, springs acting upon said arms to normally withdraw the same from engagement, and levers hav ing eccentrics and pivoted to have the latter operatively engage each one wheel carrying arm.

3. In a device of the character stated, a driving shaft, a friction wheel on such shaft, a driven shaft, a friction wheel on saidshaft, two transmission and reversing wheels engaging each other and constructed to each engage one of the friction wheels, an arm upon which said transmission and reversing wheels are journaled, means acting upon said arm to normally keep said latter wheels out of engagement, and meansfor rocking the arm to bring said wheels into engage ment with the. friction wheels.

4. In a device of the character stated, a

driving shaft, a wheel upon said shaft, a

driven shaft, a wheel upon said shaft, an arm, a transmission wheel to engage said wheels and journaled upon said arm, means acting against the latter to withdraw said transmission wheel" from engagement with the driving and driven wheel, a pivoted lever having an eccentric engaging said arm, two transmission and reversing wheels ongaging each other and constructed to -re-.- spectively engage the driving and the driven wheel, an arm jn,p,on which said transmission and reversing wheels are journalcd, means acting upon said arm to normally keep said latter wheels out of engagement, and means for rocking the arm to brin said wheels into engagement with the friction wheels.

WILLIAM S. KINDLE. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, VVM. CANER WIEDERSEIM. 

